Convertible well packer



I Filed March 16, 1959 Oct. 3, 1961 T. L. cRowE 3,002,563

CONVERTIBLE WELL. PACKER h/G. Vl;

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Get. 3, 1961 T. L. CROWE CONVERTIBLE WELL PACKER Filed March 16, 1959 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENToR. Liz. MHOGE L. CQOWE Arroz/v5 v5.

3,002,563 CONVERTIBLE WELL PACKER Talmadge L. Crowe, Houston, Tex., assignor to Baker Oil Tools, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Mar. 16, 1959, Ser. No. 799,576 13 Claims. (Cl. 166-133) The present invention relates to subsurface equipment and, more particularly to well packers adapted to be set in well bores.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved well packer adapted to be set in a well bore and capable of functioning initially as a bridge plug therewithin, and of later being converted into a packer having a passage therethrough, the conversion taking place while the packer remains in the well bore.

Another object of the invention is to provide a well packer initially embodying an ejectable plug device therein so that the packer functions as a bridge plug, the plug device being capable of withstanding comparatively high Huid pressures and of being easily ejected from the packer when its passage is to be opened.

A further object of the invention is to provide a well packer initially operable as a bridge plug by virtue of an ejectible plug device being releasably retained in the passage through the well packer, the essential parts of the plug device that secure it to the well packer being in compression, s'o that the plug device can withstand very high pressure differentials without failure.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of a lform in which it may be embodied. This form is shown in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. It will now be described in detail, for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention; but it is to be understood that such detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scopeof the invention is' best dened by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a longitutinal section through a well packer embodying the invention with a plug device closing its passage;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 with the plug device partially released;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section of a portion of the apparatus disclosed in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-section taken along the line 4 4 on FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged section taken along the line 5-'5 on FIG. 3.

A well packer A is illustrated in the drawings as being anchored in packed-off condition in a well casing B, or similar Well conduit, this packer having a central passage therethrough initially closed by an ejectible or expressible plug device C, so that the packer can function initially as a bridge plug. The well packer may be `of any suitable form, the one specically illustrated in somewhat diagrammatic fashion being more particularly shown and described in the patent to R. C. Baker, 2,703,623, patented March 8, 1955 for Packer Apparatus.7 As disclosed in such patent, the well packer may =be lowered inthe well casing on a running-in string (not shown), which may be tubing or a` wire line, and is adapted to the anchored in packed-off condition therewithin. Y

The well packer includes a main body 11 having a packing sleeve 12 of rubber or rubber-like material thereon, which has been expanded outwardly into sealing engagement with the wall of the well casing B. Upward movement of thel body is prevented by a set of States Patentr Mice upper segmental slips 13 held in anchored engagement against the casing by an upper expander 14 engaging the upper end of the packing structure. A set of lower slips 15 is wedged into anchoring engagement with the well casing by a lower expander 16 which engages the lower end of the packing structure 12. As described in the aforementioned patent, the packer A can be anchored in packed-ntf condition in the well casing as a result of shifting a setting sleeve 17 downwardly along the body 11 of the tool,` andby elevating the body of the tool after the upper slips 13 `have been anchored against the well casing, to foreshorten the packing sleeve 12 and expand it against the wall of the casing. Upward movement of the body 11 also shifts the lower slips 15 upwardly along the lower expander 16 into anchoring engagement with the well casing.

The packer body 11 may include a lower body abutment 18 against which the lower slips 15 bear, which has a valve seat 19 surrounding the passage 10 through the packer body. This valve seat is adapted to be engaged by a flapper valve head 20 pivotally mounted on the body abutment and swingable upwardly into engagement with the seat 19. The apper valve head 20 may be received within a slotted junk pusher and catcher 21 suitably secured to the lower body abutment 18, all as disclosed in the aforementioned patent.

The central passage 10 through the body 11 can be closed initially by the ejectible or expendible plug C which is initially supported upon a latching shoulder 22 that tapers in a downward and inward direction, and which is provided on the lower body abutment 18. The plug includes a body 23 that consists of a lower section 24 threadedly secured to an upper section 25 slidable along the inner wall 26 of the main body of the packer. Leakage of iiuid between the pluglbody or mandrel 23 and the wall 26 of the packer body is prevented by suitable side seal 27, such as a rubber or rubber-like 0 ring, mounted in a peripheral groove 28 in the body and sealingly engaging the wall of the packer.

The lower body portion 24 is provided with circumferentially spaced longitudinal slots 29 that extend through its lower end to provide spring-like latch legs or elements 30 that terminate in outwardly extending foot portions 31, the lower ends 32 of which are tapered in a downward and inward direction, being engageable with the companion latch shoulder 22 on the lower body abutment 18. The foot portions or feet 31 engage the shoulder 22 and extend within a circumferential groove 33 defined between the lower body abutment 18 and the lower end 34 of the main portion of the packer body 11.

The latch feet 31 are retained in the groove 33 in a position extending laterally outwardly beyond Vthe inner wall 26 of the body 11 and the inner wall 26a of the lower ,body abutment 18 by a retainer member 35 which includes a lower head 36 initially engaging the ilapper valve 20 to hold it from engagement with its seal 19. This lower retainer member head 36 is integral with a retainer portion 37 having a cylindrical periphery which is disposed within and which engages the inner surface 38 of the foot portions 31 of the latch legs 30, to hold them outwardly in a position for engagement with the upwardly facing shoulder 22 on the lower body abutment 18. Above the retainer portion 37, the retainer member comprises a reduced diameter portion 39 terminating in an upwardly facing shoulder 40 engaging the lower end of the upper plug body portion 25, in which position the retainer plortion 37 is disposed behind the latching feet 31.

Integral with and extending upwardly from the reduced diameter portion 39 is a stem 41 extending through a central passage 42 in the upper plug body portion 25 and terminating in an upper head 43 having a downwardly facing shoulder 44 which is engageable with a split latch ring 45 that rests upon the upper end 46 of the upper plug body portion 25. The shoulder 44 and upper inner corner of the latch ring 45 are tapered in a downward and outward direction, such that a downward force imposed on the head 43 and its stem 41 will tend to shift the split latch ring 45 outwardly. Such outward movement is initially prevented by an encompassing latch ring retainer member 47, the lower portion 48 of which has an internal diameter that will hold the latch ring 45 under the retainer member head 43. Above this lower portion, the latch ring retainer has a portion 49 with an internal diameter substantially greater than the lower portion 48 and into which the latch ring 45 may expand to a position free from engagement with the downward facing shoulder 44 of the retainer member head 43. This intermediate porti-on 49 is integral with a head portion 50 of the latch ring retainer 47. The latch ring retainer 47 is held initially in a position confining the latch ring 45 under the shoulder 44 by one or more shear screws 51 threaded through the lower portion 48 of the latch ring retainer y47 and received within radial holes 52 in the upper end of the plug body portion 25.

Fluid leakage between the retainer member stem 41 and the wall 53 of the upperplug body portion 25 is prevented by suitable side seal ring 54, such as a rubber or rubber-like O ring, disposed in a peripheral groove 55 in the stem and sealingly engaging the wall of the plug body 25. The iluid within the plug body passage 42 can pass to the exterior of the plug body 25 above its seal ring 27 through one or more bleeder ports 56.

The well packer A is run in the well casing B and is anchored in packed-olf condition therewithin with the ejectible plug device C mounted in the body 11 of the packer, such as disclosed in FIGS. 1 and 3, wherein the passage 1t) through the main body of the packer is closed. Upward movement of the plug device C is prevented by the engagement of the latch foot portions 31 with the lower end 34 of the packer body 11, whereas downward movement is presented by engagement of the latch feet 31 with the shoulder 22 of the lower body abutment 18. T he well packer is then constituted as a bridge plug which will permit certain pressuring operations to be performed in the well casing B and the well bore thereabove. AS an example, if the well is to be acidized or a formation fractioning operation is to take place above the packer A, the latter will prevent fluid and pressure from passing down through the packer. Substantial iluid pressure can then be imposed in a downward direction on the well packer, the expendible plug C remaining in place. The seal rings 27, 54 prevent passage of uid in a downward direction through the packer body 11. The iluid pressure acting downwardly on the plug body 23 is transferred through the latch legs 39 and the feet 31 to the shoulder portion 22 of the lower body abutment 18. These latch legs 30 cannot shift from the shoulder 22 because of the backing provided by the retainer portion 37 of the retainer member 35. This retainer member cannot shift downwardly as a result of fluid pressure acting downwardly on the stem 41, inasmuch as the split latch ring 45 is retained in place under the stem shoulder 44 by the latch ring retainer 47, the shear screws 51 being intact.

Comparatively high pressures can be imposed in a downward direction on the ejectible plug device C and it will remain in the position illustrated in FIG. l without any of the parts failing. The latch legs 30 are in compression and can withstand comparatively large forces with safety. Similarly, comparatively high pressures can be imposed in a downward direction on the retainer member 41 stem without shifting it from its position, as shown in FIG. 1, in which the retainer portion 37 remains behind the latch feet 31, since the downward force is transmitted to the ring 45 and from the latter against the upper end `46 of the plug body 25. This latch ring 45 cannot moveV outwardly because of its being confined in position by the comparatively thick wall of the lower portion 48 of the latch ring retainer member 47. The fluid pressure Vitself does not tend to shift the latch ring retainer member 47 and impose any force on the shear screws 51, since the fluid pressure can pass around the latch ring retainer 47 and enter its interior through the bleeder hole 56, passing upwardly along the stern 41, which has substantial clearance with the inner wall of the plug body 25, and through the split portion of the latch ring 45 to the interior of the retainer device 47. Thus, the iiuid pressure is balanced around the latch ring retainer member 47 and does not tend to urge it in any direction, or to impose any force on the shear screws 51.

VAfter the operation above the packer A, which requires its use as the bridge plug has been completed, the expendible plug C may be ejected and removed completely from the well packer to open its central passage 10. Such opening will occur as an incident of lowering production tubing D through the well packer A, which has the purpose of conducting well production from a region therebelow into the tubing perforations 69 and upwardly through the tubing D to the top of the well bore. When the lower end of the tubing entering the packer comes to rest upon the upper end 50 of the latch ring retainer 47, a downward weight can be imposed on this tubing D, which downward weight is transmitted through the latch ring retainer member 47 to the shear screws 51. When the weight is suicient to overcome the shear strength of the screws 51, the latter are disrupted, whereupon the latch ring retainer 47 is moved downwardly along the upper body member 25 and the latch ring 45 to a position in which its large inside diameter portion 49 is disposed opposite the latch ring 45. A continued downward movement of the latch ring retainer member 47 will cause its head 50 to engage the upper end 43 of the retainer member stern and exert a force against the latch ring 45 to expand the latter and free it from the stem shoulder 44, whereupon the stem 41 and the entire retainer member 35 can shift downwardly within the plug body 23 to a position that disposes the retainer portion 37 of the retainer member below the latch feet 31 and its reduced diameter portion 39 opposite the latch feet.

The downward force imposed through the production tubing D is then transmitted from the latch ring retainer 47 to the upper end of the released split latch ring 45, and from the latter through the plug body 23 to its latch legs 30 and feet 31. Because of the tapered engagement between the latch feet 31 and the latch shoulder 22, such downward force will cam the latch legs and feet inwardly to a position in which the latch feet 31 are free of the latch shoulder 22, whereupon they will shift downwardly through the lower body abutment 18 and through the junk pusher 21, accompanied by the remaining portions of the ejectible plug C, which can be pushed completely through the body passage 10, the valve seat 19 and junk pusher 22, dropping downwardly from the packer, the tubing D then being lowered to the desired position below the packer A.

If the production tubing D is removed upwardly through the packer, the llapper valve head 20 can swing upwardly into engagement with its companion valve seat 19 to prevent upper ow of uid through the well packer. However, if the production tubing D remains extending through the well packer A, a portion thereof (not shown) is ordinarily sealed oit against the wall 26 of the packer body -11 to prevent leakage of fluid around the exterior of the production tubing (in a known manner).

The inventor claims:

l. In combination: a well packer adapted to be set in a well bore and including a packer body having a passage and means thereon for securing said body in the well bore, a plug in said passage to prevent flow of fluid therethrough and including a plug body in said pasmovement in said passage with said latch means in oompression when downwardly vdirected force is imposed thereon; and means forA releasing said latch Vmeans from said packer body to enable said plug to be ejected from said passage.

2. In combination: a well packer adapted to be set in a well bore and including a packer body having a pas-4 sage and means thereon for securing said body in the well bore, a plugin said'passage to prevent flow of tluid therethrough and including a plug body in said passage having latch means at its lower portion engaging said packer body to hold said plug against downward 'movement in said passage with said latch means in` compression when downwardly directed force is imposed thereon, retaining means engaging the lower portion of said latch means to prevent release of said latch means from said packer body; and means for shifting said retaining means from said latch means to permit release of. said means from said packer body and ejection of said plug from said passage. l p

3. In combination: a well packer adapted to be set in a well bore and including a packer body having a passage and means thereon ttor securing said body in the well bore, a plug in said passage to prevent flow of uid therethrough and including a plug body in said passage having latch means at its lower portion engaging said packer body to hold said plug against downward movement in said passage, retainer means disposed behind said latch means to prevent release of said latch means from said packer body; and means for shiftingsaid retaining means from said latch means to permit release of said latch means from said packer body and ejection of said plug from said passage.

4. In combination: a well packer adapted to be set in a well bore and including a packer body having a passage and means thereon for securing said body in the well bore, a plug in said passage to prevent flow of fluid therethrough and including a plug body in said passage having latch means at its lower portion engaging said packer body to hold said plug body against downward movement in said passage, retainer means disposed behind said latch means to prevent release of said latch means from said packer body, said retainer means having a portion extending upwardly in said plug body trom said latch means, means releasably securing said portion to said plug body -to prevent downward movement of said retainer means from its position preventing release of said latch means from said packer body; and means for releasing said securing means.

5. In a well packer adapted to be set in a well bore: a packer body having a passage and means thereon for securing said body in the well bore; a plug in said passage to prevent flow of iiuid therethrough and including a plug body in said passage having latch means at its lower portion engaging said packer body to hold said plug body against downward movement in said passage; retainer means disposed behind said latch means to prevent release of said latch means from said packer body, said retainer means having a portion extending upwardly in said plug body lfrom said latch means; means releasably latching said portion to said plug body to prevent downward movement of said retainer means from its position preventing release of said latch means from said packer body; and shiftable means engaging said latching means to initially prevent release of said latching means, said shiftable means being movable to permit release of said latching means.

6. In a well packer adapted to be set in a well bore: a packer body having a passage and means thereon for securing said body in the well bore; a plug in said passage to prevent How of tluid therethrough and including a plug body in said passage having latch means at i-ts lower portion engaging said packer body to hold said plug body against downward movement in said passage; retainer means disposed behind said latch means to prevent release of said latch means from said packer body, said retainer means having a por-tion extending upwardly in said plug body from said latch means; means releasably latching said portion to said plug body to prevent downward movement of said retainer means from its position preventing release of said latch means from said packerV body; shiftable means engaging said latching means to initially prevent release of said latching means, said shiftable means being movable to permit release of said latching means; and means releasably securing said shit-table means to said plug body.

. 7. In a well packer adapted to be set in a well bore: apacker body having a passage and means thereon for securing said body 4in the well bore; a plug in said passage to prevent flow of iiuid therethrough and including a plug body in said passage having latch means at its lower portion engaging said packer body to hold said plug body against downward movement in said passage; retainer means disposed behind said latch means to prevent release of said latch means from said packer body, said retainer means having a portion extending upwardly in said plug body from said latch means; means releasably latching said portion to said plug body to prevent downward movement of said retainer means from its position preventing release of said latch means from said packer body; and shiftable means engaging said latching means to initially prevent release of said latching means, said shiftable means being movable to permit release of said latching means and being en-gageable with said portion to shift said retainer means downwardly from its position preventing release of said latch means.

8. In a well packer adapted to be set in a well bore: Y

a packer body having-a passage and means thereon for securing said body in the well bore; a plug in said passage to prevent flow of fluid therethrough and including a plug body in said passage having latch means at its lower portion engaging said packer body to hold said plug body against downward movement in said passage; retainer means disposed behind said latch means to prevent release of said latch means from said packer body, said retainer means having a portion extending upwardly in said plug body from said latch means; means releasably latching said portion to said plug body to prevent downward movement of said retainer means from its position preventing release of said latch means from said packer body; shiftable means engaging said latching means to initially prevent release of said latching means, said shiftable means being movable to permit release of said latching means and being engageable with said portion to shift said retainer means downwardly from its position preventing release of said latch means; and shear means initially securing said shiftable means to said plug body and in engagement with said latching means.

9. In a well packer adapted to be set in a well bore: a packer body having a passage and means thereon for securing said body in the well bore; a plug in said passage to prevent yflow of fluid therethrough and including a plug body in said passage having expansible and contractible latch means at its lower portion engaging said packer body to hold said `plug body against downward movement in said passage; retainer means disposed behind said latch means to hold said latch means outwardly in engagement with said packer body, said retainer means having a portion extending upwardly in said plug body from said latch means; expansible and contractible latching means Areleasably securing said portion to said plug body to prevent downward movement of said retainer means from its position preventing release of said latch means from said packer body; and shiftable means engaging said latching means to initially prevent movement of said latching means outwardly from engagement with said portion, said shiftable means being movable to permit outward movement of said latching means from said portion.

l0. In combination: a well packer adapted to be set in a well bore and including a packer body`having Va passage and means thereon for securing said body in the well bore, al plug in said passage to. prevent ow of uid therethrough and including a plug body in said passage, sealing means preventing flow of iluid lbetween saidplug body and packer body, said plug body having latch means at its lower portion engaging said packer ybody to hold said plug body against downward movement in said passage, retainer means disposed b'ehind said latch means to prevent release of said latch means from said packer body, said retainer means having a portion extending upwardly in said plug body `from said latch means, seal means between said portion and plug body preventing passage of duid therebetween, means releasably securing said portion to said plug body to prevent downward movement of said retainer means from its position preventing release of said latch means from said packer body; and means for releasing said securing means.

11. In combination: a well packer adapted to be set in a Well bore and including a packer body having a passage and means thereon for securing said body in the well bore; a plug in said passage to prevent ow of fluid therethrough and including a plug body in said passage, latch means on said plug body engaging'said packer body to hold said plug against downward movement in said passage; seal means above said latch means between and engaging said plug body and packer body to prevent fluid leakage therebetween; and means for releasing said latch means from said packer body to enable said plug to be ejected from said passage.

12. In combination: a well packer adapted to be set in a well bore and including a packer body having a passage and means thereon for securing said body in the well bore; a plug in said passage to prevent ilow of uid therethrough and including a plug body in said passage, latch means on said plug body engaging said packer body to hold said plug against downward movement in 8 said fpassage; 'seal-means on said plug body above said latchimeans engaging `said packer body to prevent uid leakage therebetween; and means for releasing said latch meansfrom said packer body to enable said plug to be ejected from said passage.

13. In combination: a well packer adapted to be set ina -well bore and including a packer body having a passage and' means thereon for securing said body in the Well bore; a plug in said passage to prevent liow of fluid therethrough and including a plug body in said passage having latch means at its lower portion engaging said packer body to holdsaid plug against downward movernentin said'passage with said latch means in compression when downwardly directed force is imposed thereon; seal means `above said latch means between and engaging said plug body and packer body to prevent iluid leakage therebetween; retaining means engaging the lower' portion of Said latch means to prevent release of said latch means fromA said packer body; and means for shifting said retaining means from said latch means to permit release of said latch means from said packer body and ejection of said plug from said passage.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,690,536 Hartman Nov. 6, 1928 1,842,116 Rasmussen Jan. 19, 1932 1,949,498 Stone et al. Mar. 6, 1934 2,196,661 Grubb Apr. 9, 1940 32,467,801 Baker Apr. 19, 1949 '2,687,775 Baker Aug. 31, 1954 2,703,623 Baker Mar. 8, 1955 42,707,998 Baker'ettal. May l0, 1955 y2,884,071 Fredd Apr. 28, 1959 2,928,469 Crowe Mar. 15, 1960 

